Fluid mixtures can often be separated from one another based on differences in density (specific gravity). In many instances the separations can occur by just allowing the fluids to partition on their own in a calm, non-mixing setting. However, this typically takes time and is not very practical for many commercial applications. Centrifugation can speed up the process but is difficult and expensive to scale. Each system has its own set of drawbacks, almost all of which exhibit performance issues when deployed under less than ideal situations.
Efficiency and performance reliability is particularly important when dealing with hazardous fluids under environmental conditions, such as with oil spill response and cleanup. Unfortunately, turbulence and choppy conditions are one of the bigger problems as it not only tends to further mix the fluids one is attempting to separate, but also places additional burdens on operator safety and machinery. For example, fluids to be separated are often themselves quite hazardous to deal with and can have a complex range of properties that shorten the service life of sensors, valve systems and controls at best. Variations in fluid mixtures, environmental conditions and other demands can further undermine performance.
There is a clear need for improved products and methods for separating fluids of different densities, such as processing water and/or sediment laden with oil and other lighter-than water fluids. A particular need exists for rapid response oil recovery systems, which should be compact, simple to deploy, robust, reliable, and process large volume flow rates among other things while avoiding poor separation performance in multiple different environments. The present disclosure addresses these and other needs.